School Sucks Project self-knowledge, self-education, self-mastery
Part 5 in the survey series, A Renegade History Course. This is the fifth discussion with historian Thaddeus Russell, the author of A Renegade History of the United States.
Discussed Today:
The second part of A Renegade History of the United States, How White People Lost Their Rhythm, including the stories of Irish, Italian and Jewish immigrants, and how they were assimilated into American culture.
Bumper Music:
"I Wan'na Be Like You" (The Jungle Book) - Louie Prima
"Beyond the Sea" - Bobby Darin
"Jump Jive An' Wail" - Louis Prima
"My Romance" - Frank Sinatra & Dinah Shore
"Slow Ride" - The Beastie Boys
Look Closer:
Thaddeus Russell's Site - www.thaddeusrussell.com
See Thaddeus Russell's sources for the chapters in this discussion here. Pages 350-357.
It’s interesting how well this corresponds withIceland, Norway, northern Sweden and so on in northern Scandinavia, where the culture has been shaped strongly by American revivalism in the 1800s.
https://web.archive.org/web/20070716055541/http://www.staff.hum.ku.dk/sidsel/drunken.htm
The early labor movement was initially skeptical of the christian evangelical Free Church movement and the temperance movement which it regarded as reactionary.
But soon arose yet close relationship between these three movements, because if the workers could achieve respect they would gain sympathy for their questions. Therefore, the ideal soon became the sober and morally enlightened worker, educated and disciplined in the temperance lodges.
And the Social Democrats also hijacked the conservative state nationalism and had the workers waving flags and cheer for their country.
This makes Scandinavia stand out sharply from the rest of Europe. And keep in mind, the Christian evangelical and temperance movements came from America.